Cookies
by Jediempress
Summary: Riku and Zack are baking cookies and Cloud is being moody. Hopefully, Riku can fix this. Written for the lj group Love Like Winter's holiday challenge.


So here is my contribution to Page of Cups holiday challenge. I think it turned out pretty well for something thrown together.

Cookies

"Just how many cookies are you baking?" Cloud surveyed the kitchen, taking in the piles of tins and rows of cooling racks. All of them were full with cookies.

Riku paused and glanced at Zack. The raven-haired man shrugged and continued to remove the latest batch of sugar cookies from the oven. "I figured we were going until we ran out of stuff to make 'em with."

"That sounds good." Riku nodded, dropping the last ball of dough on a tray and handed it off to Zack. The older man shoved it in the oven. "I think we used the last cooling rack."

"Darn," looking around, Zack pursed his lips. "Looks like I'm putting together another tin."

"I can do that." Cloud volunteered, feeling rather left out as he watched his former and current boyfriends work together in near perfect harmony.

"Only if you can do so without breaking every single one, Spike."

The blonde glared at Zack. "You know, I'm really getting tired of everyone saying I'm completely inept. I can to things without totally fucking them up."

"Of course you can, Spike." Zack patted Cloud's cheek. Cloud angrily batted it away and turned away. Zack lifted a black eyebrow at the display.

Cloud stalked out of the kitchen, throwing a 'forget it' over his shoulder.

Riku watched him leave, a heavy frown pulling at his lips. He caught Zack's eye and saw he was equally concerned. "He has been really tense lately."

Zack blew out a breath. "Maybe I should let up on him."

"It's not you," said the teen thoughtfully. "Everyone's been teasing him for such a long time it shouldn't suddenly be bothering him this much. Something else is going on here."

"But it hasn't been me until now." Zack countered. "It has to be really hard for him to have me here. We never really got to figure out just what we are to each other now."

Riku's voice was completely certain. "You are and always will be his nearest and dearest friend. You and he are very much like Sora and I."

The raven-haired man considered something for a moment. There was deep pain in his violet eyes. He nudged his head in the direction Cloud had left, not looking at Riku. "Go talk to him. I've got this."

Riku immediately dropped his washcloth and turned. As he passed Zack, he placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "He's really glad your back. So am I."

Zack grinned but it lacked its usual depth. "Well, of course you are. Someone had to get Leon's leathers out of his ass and put something else there."

Riku punched the man's shoulder.

"Go on." Zack went to the oven to check on the cookies. "The kiddies will be here to frost these things soon."

"Right." Riku left the kitchen and headed down the hall. He stopped to pull on his boots and throw on a coat before ducking out into the cold.

The sky was bright but gray and you could feel the coming snow. Riku still had not quite adjusted to the frigid temperatures but he had decided the first time he watched the snow fall that he could handle the cold just to see the ground covered in white. Merlin was predicting close to half a foot falling tonight.

Cloud was likely to be down past the end of the cul de sac sitting in the small park there. He had taken to going there when he simply wanted to settle himself a bit. With hands stuffed in his pockets, Riku lightly jogged in that direction.

Sure enough, the blonde was leaning against one of the large trees one arm hanging at his side. His back was facing Riku and he seemed to be watching the leaves blow across the browning grass. His spikes of hair ruffled in the gentle wind.

Riku walked up to him, pausing beside him and dropping his head onto the shorter man's shoulder. He laced their fingers together and squeezed. They simply remained like that for some time.

"I love you."

Cloud flicked his blue eyes over. He turned enough to look at Riku with a soft smile. He reached out with his free hand and brushed at Riku's silver bangs. "I know. I'm sorry I've been so moody lately."

"Is there anything I can do?"

Smile increasing, Cloud tugged the teen closer and wrapped his arms around him. "You already have."

Riku grinned, rolling his aqua eyes. He placed his hands up on Cloud's shoulders. "I'm sure there's more I could do."

"Oh, definitely however we have company coming very shortly and it's too damn cold to play out here." Cloud pulled Riku against his body, his back now flush against the tree trunk.

Taking the hint, Riku moved in and pressed his lips to his lovers. They both let it grow in intensity, allowing themselves a moment to be swept away. When their mouths parted, they kept their foreheads together.

Cloud sighed. "I'm just… unsettled. I love having Zack here but lately just feel so inadequate with him around. He was always so much better at things than I and I always wished I could be as good as him. I guess I'm just feeling a little jealous."

"Because he's been helping me so much." Riku concluded.

"Yeah. I know it's stupid and I'm really trying to just get over it but…"

Riku laughed once quietly. "It's you."

The silvered teen moved his head back and Cloud looked up. They smiled at one another and knew that things were now settled. It did not take much for either of them to reassure the other.

"Shall we head back?" Cloud asked, hands creeping around to lace behind Riku's back.

"I guess. Tifa and Rude will be showing up with the kids at any minute to frost the cookies." Riku leaned forward and blew warm breath on Cloud's ear. "…And the sooner they do that, the sooner we can kick them out of our house."

"Oh, I like that idea," moaned Cloud as the teen proceeded to nibble on the warmed earlobe. "Of course, you know… with our luck… the blizzard will start early and… they'll get snowed in with us."

Riku removed himself from the ear and stepped back. Holding on to Cloud's hand, he led the man away from the tree and they began walking for their house. "Oh, no. The _first_ sign of snow, every one of them is out the door. If we're going to be snowed in, we're going to be alone so that we can thoroughly enjoy the event."

Cloud did not have a single argument.


End file.
